Rabri Devi won’t vacate government bungalow, RJD says 'come what may'

Rabri devi

The Rashtriya Janata Dal on Wednesday said former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi will not vacate the government bungalow she has lived in for nearly 20 years, despite a notice from the state building construction department asking her to move to a new address earmarked for the leader of the opposition in the legislative council.

RJD state president Mangani Lal Mandal said 10, Circular Road, the bungalow opposite the Chief Minister’s residence, would not be vacated under any circumstances. He accused the ruling NDA of targeting Lalu Prasad’s family, questioning why the government waited two decades to designate a separate residence for the opposition leader in the legislative council.

RJD accuses Nitish Kumar of acting under BJP pressure

Mandal alleged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was acting to please the BJP after tensions within the alliance, pointing to Nitish giving up the home portfolio. He said the decision to shift Rabri Devi was an attempt to “insult” Lalu Prasad and appease the BJP leadership.

He added that the RJD should not be underestimated, noting the party secured more than one crore votes in the recent assembly elections, higher than any NDA constituent.

State minister Santosh Kumar Suman said the bungalow was originally allotted to Rabri Devi under a now-scrapped provision allowing former chief ministers to retain government residences for life. He maintained that the government has the authority to decide allotments and that Rabri Devi was not being denied accommodation.

RJD calls election outcome a result of ‘system’
Speaking after a review meeting on the party’s poor electoral performance — its tally dropping from 75 seats to 25 — Mandal said the RJD “did not lose” the election but was up against a system stacked in favour of the NDA. He claimed the BJP-led alliance fought with far greater resources, including helicopters, chartered planes and major financial backing.

*With PTI inputs